Written Disclosure Therapy for Anxiety and Stress in Patients With Chronic Lung Disease

Winthrop University Hospital66 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Written Disclosure Therapy (WDT) is of any benefit to patients with chronic lung diseases who are participating in pulmonary rehabilitation.

Chronic lung diseases are typically associated with impaired quality of life, stress, and anxiety. Written disclosure therapy (WDT) reduces stress in patients with a variety of chronic illnesses. We sought to determine if written disclosure therapy benefits patients with chronic lung diseases when it is added as a component to the pulmonary rehabilitation program.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Chronic Lung Diseases COPD Pulmonary Fibrosis

Interventions

Disclosure Writing (Written Disclosure Therapy)OTHER

Patients write about a stressful life experience

Neutral (Sham) WritingOTHER

Patients write about neutral subjects

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 90 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of COPD or Pulmonary Fibrosis * First time participants in Pulmonary Rehabilitation program Exclusion Criteria: * Dementia * Prior significant psychiatric illness * Inability to complete the questionnaires * Inability cooperate with spirometry * Inability or to participate in outpatient follow-up over the six-month

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Dyspnea and quality of life

Time frame: Two-month and six-month time

Secondary Outcomes

Six-minute walk distance

Time frame: Two-month and six-month time

Spirometry values (FEV1 and FVC)

Time frame: Two-month and six-month time

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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